Anna

Still holding the blonde girl in an embrace, Anna stroke the side of her face, whispering soft words, soothing the confusion and fear racing through Veronica’s mind. It was a lot to assimilate. Leaning close, Anna kissed Veronica’s cheek, bidding her sleep. Veronica closed her eyes, drifting off.

Laying Veronica on her bed, Anna walked to the bathroom. It was time for a bowel movement. The remnants of the gathering had now passed through her digestive tract, condensing and solidifying in preparation for evacuation. Vance was still alive, encased in her excrement. Sitting on the toilet, she contract her muscles, pushing the waste out her.

Wiping herself, she dropped the tissue into the bowl. Standing she looked down at the mess inside the toilet, fecal matter composed of those who would see her undone and bound to them. “This is the extent of my mercy,” she said softly, reaching a hand up and pull down the lever to flush the toilet. Washing her hands, she returned to her room and sat on the bed beside Veronica, placing the tips of her index fingers on either side of the blonde girl’s head over her temples.

Closing her own eyes, she peered into Veronica’s mind, mending damaged strands of the girl’s psyche, creating pathways and new corridors inside her brain, awakening ancient memories and igniting dormant abilities. It was delicate work and when she was finished, Veronica was in a dreamless slumber, breathing slow and steady. Anna smiled at her handiwork. Bending forward, she kissed the girl on the cheek, before nodding to herself. She knew Veronica would need to rest, need time to process and understand the gift imparted on her.

Getting up, she got dressed in a snug t-shirt and a pair of denim jeans, thinking she would go to school, perhaps now more out of habitual routine than necessity.

Exiting the house, she heard a car door open, and watched as the now youthful Jim Henry stepped out of the red Chevrolet, his eyes round, but filled with compassion only a lifetime of seeing misery can convey.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his care for her well-being genuine as he cautiously approached.

She chuckled, “Fine,” she replied, smiling at him. He was hale and handsome.

“I saw, I saw your mother,” he said. “She picked up the other woman down the block,” he added, turning and pointing.

Anna nodded. She thought she had sensed her, but she was still learning to attune her newfound abilities.

“The boy, from last night?”

“He served his purpose and is no more,” she replied, fondly remembering the strength of her sexual release achieved using him.

Jim frowned, the ambivalent way she discussed a boy’s death gave him the sense that whatever powers she was gaining, they were distancing her from her morality. “I’m concerned for you,” he said.

“I know,” she replied, walking up to him and placing a hand on his cheek, her flesh warm.

She smiled and removed her hand, he staggered backward a couple of steps, mouth moving but making no sound as he was filled with wonder and serenity. “Anna,” he breathed softly.

She turned and looked back to the house, “Watch over her,” she said.

Nodding slowly, “Yes,” he said, leaving her and walking to the house.

As she walked to the school, she found the closer she got, the louder and more frenetic it seemed, a cacophony of noise and the random thoughts of so many people in one place assailing her. She had to pause several minutes to silence the roar inside her head. Quieted, she made her way into the school, students hurrying last minute to beat the buzzer.

Moving up the main hall the final bell sounded, she was almost to her locker when she paused outside the history classroom, Mr. Collins’s classroom. He was there. She wasn’t due for history until the afternoon, but she could feel a swell of ire growing within her. Entering the classroom through the door at the rear of the class, she looked at the teacher.

Standing at the fore of the class, near the green chalk board, Mr. Collins paused in his delivery, mouth open, eyes widening, “Miss Smith,” he addressed, “You’re not in this class until later today,” he said.

“I know,” she answered, smiling at him. She could feel his fear, almost palpable, smell it like a metallic fume coalescing in her olfactory center.

“Then I would ask that you…” he trailed off, realizing every other student in the class was not moving, like inanimate store mannequins locked in permanent stasis.

She walked slowly up between two rows toward him, “I trusted you, though I suppose that is my own failing and no fault of yours,” she said, nodding slowly as she moved up the aisle toward the head of the class.

He backed away, doubting he would be able to get to the door before she could stop him.

“Everything is so much clearer now,” she said, half smile on her face, “It’s as if a veil has been pulled from eyes, or a light in the darkness, I can see,” she stated. “I can see everything so much clearer now, hues beyond your imagination, wondrous.”

He shook his head slowly, “Then you can see how sorry I am Anna, please,” he pleaded, tone plaintive.

Smile warm, she nodded. “I can see,” she said. “I can also see other things in you, darker things, ugly things,” she stopped, standing beside a very pretty girl near the front of the row. “I can see how you lust for her,” she said, looking down at the girl and running her hand tenderly over the girl’s head and caressing her cheek. “You want to lord over her or have her dominate you, but you resent her for your own failings and inadequacy. Her youth, her beauty make you want her and only the fear of legal consequence inhibits you, otherwise you would try and take her with no thought of her feelings,” she said wistfully, looking back up at the teacher.

He nodded, “It’s true, I envy her,” he whispered, voice starting to break.

Moving forward again, Anna stopped in front of his desk. “That is why you colluded with the gathering, seeking solace from your own fear and weakness,” she said.

He nodded, tears rolling down his cheeks, he was afraid.

Turning her head slightly to the side, she smiled at him, “I will take these things from you,” she said, waving a hand slowly causing the desk between them to slide out of the way.

Back pressed to the green board, he crumpled down to the floor, hands out defensively before him.

Walking to him, she put her hand down, “All you need to do is take my hand,” she said softy.

Looking up at the beautiful girl, her eyes glowing vibrant green despite the bright fluorescent light in the room, hand trembling he reached up and took the delicate hand in his own.

There was no pain as he shrunk down.